Erin + Rai’s wedding was exactly what they wanted - surrounded by their closest friends and family at a place Erin grew up. Their wedding was different for me though, their faith was heavily featured and it was at a high school gymnasium - Campion Academy. Now, by different, I am not saying that it was anything bad - it was unique, not only for them, but a unique experience for me. They are Seventh Day Adventist, which after much googling, I have come to understand as a Protestant branch of Christianity where its believers live a life devoted to Jesus Christ, have a Sabbath (day of rest) on Saturdays, and have a diet free of caffeine, alcohol and most meats. I found all of this so interesting - still do! The place they were married in Loveland is the Seventh-day Adventist high school campus that Erin’s father runs and the house Erin grew up in is also located on the campus. Their wedding day couldn’t have been more about them and their story.

During the getting ready time, Rai told me they had been having a long distance relationship for the past year because his mother became ill. After he finished his PhD, he moved to California to help the family and make sure his mom recovered - what a great son! Erin remained in Colorado with her family to finish school, spend time with friends, and to plan their wedding. His groomsmen spent at least an hour trying to figure out how to tie a bowtie from this YouTube video. It sounded like I was at the zoo because each step relates to an animal - parrots, elephants, fish - and I don’t remember the rest. Rai also made mention of his socks that he wore specifically for Erin - they had The Kiss by Gustav Klimt on them - one of Erin’s favorite artists.

Before the ceremony, we did a first look, family photos, bridal party photos and then drove to Devil’s Backbone and Downtown Loveland for bride and groom portraits. Then we moved into the gymnasium that Erin had decorated for their ceremony and reception. It was full of twinkle lights, paper flowers, foxes, lockets and so much more that represented Erin, Rai and their relationship. During the ceremony, they participated in a foot washing ceremony which was something I hadn’t witnessed before. They took turns kneeling in front of the other and cleansing eachother’s ankles, feet and toes. From there, they put their socks and shoes back on, read their vows and exchanged rings. This lead them into the reception where many of the guests brought desserts to add to their community dessert table, a vegetarian meal was served from Garbanzo, and the bride and groom drank from an Irish cup that had been passed down in Erin’s family for generations.

Downtown Boulder is full of colorful murals that make the perfect backdrop for this engagement session. From Pearl Street to the Flat Irons in Chautauqua Park, any couple will find the ideal setting for their photos.

A wedding, a great wedding, is just a blast. A celebration of romance and community and love…What is unfun about that? Nothing.

- Ariel Levy

When I found out about the details of Rachel + Kellin’s wedding at Lionsgate Event Center, I was so excited! They had planned their entire day around Super Mario Brothers, and they did not leave any detail overlooked. From the handmade centerpieces to the bride’s shoes (pictured at the end) that were hand-decorated by her mother, their wedding day was themed to Super Mario + Princess Peach - but tastefully. I don’t know about you, but I grew up playing Nintendo and this wedding brought back those memories. Below are some of the many creative details. Both cakes were made by Button Rock Bakery - a bride’s cake replicating a Nintendo Gaming System and then a plain white cake that was the backdrop for a video feed. (And yes, Kellin was the creator of that amazing technological detail.)

Rachel’s dress was stunning and couldn’t have fit her more perfecty. The Chandelier Barn at Lionsgate was the perfect spot for beautiful photos of her wedding dress - as well as the First Look which is shown later in this post.

The Event Center has an antique couch and large mirror in the bridal suite where Rachel got ready. There is also a separate room where she was able to get her hair and make-up done by Elegance by Design. It is basically a beauty salon in a room! Rachel’s make-up was simple, but perfect for the wedding day - not too much.

Downstairs at Lionsgate is also a groom’s suite that has a pub like feel, bold artwork, a few stuffed animals and a pool table. It is the perfect place for the Groom and Groomsmen to hang out before the wedding.

The First Look in the Chandelier Barn was Rachel’s idea and it was perfect. It reminded me of the movie Beauty and the Beast with such an elegant staircase and grand decor.

After their First Look, we did some of their portraits on the staircase because it is just GORGEOUS! And check out her bouquet - Flower Power from Super Mario Brothers!

With a large and diverse wedding party - we were able to fit them all on the staircase for a large group portrait - and then toss the kids in at the last minute.

Lionsgate Event Center has some fun and unique details on their property. All of them are great for wedding day portraits of the couple and their entire wedding party. The old yellow truck made for a nice vintage styled couples portrait with a nice pop of color.

Rachel + Kellin’s wedding ceremony was officiated by their good friend John. Not only did he pronounce them husband and wife, but he also played bartender for their first drink - a tasty white russian! This was all written into their ceremony for a bit of a twist.

The British phone booth wedding portraits are some of my favorites.

Once Rachel + Kellin were finished their portrait session, Rachel was able to go back to the bridal suite where her mother bustled the dress. This is also where they had a drink with their wedding party and signed the marriage license. It’s a nice backdrop for the signing of the marriage license and there is a solid marble table to lean on.

Like I said - no detail was overlooked - to include their choreographed first dance to the Super Mario theme song! They did such a great dance!!!!

Even the guests got into dressing for the occasion!

This venue has numerous areas to play with night photography. There are chandeliers around the property hanging from trees and string lights in the back of The Dove House. It is very romantic.

They did their bouquet toss and garter on the dance floor. For the garter toss, Kellin had strategically placed a bag of Super Mario goodies under the chair - it was quite humorous!

The fun went on all night with their friends and family. They had an interactive video photo booth, glow sticks and bubbles. It was a wonderful way to celebrate the beginning of the rest of their lives together.

Below are some of the beautiful themed details they incorporated into their wedding. It was incredibly creative and a good time was had by everyone! The fact that they brought this all to life with their friends and family, made it even more special.

Many people spend more time in planning the wedding, then they do in planning the marriage.

Yes! Rebecca + Martin met on Tinder! They have such a great love story, so continue reading to hear more. They live in New Hampshire, so their wedding was a destination wedding for them and a lot of their friends; however, Rebecca is from Denver originally. She is currently working on her PhD in Ecology and Martin is an engineer. They met on Tinder a little over two years ago and now they will spend the rest of their lives together.

They love to be outside - biking, hiking, climbing, running, skiing - anything adventurous, which is part of the reason why Colorado seemed perfect for their wedding. Martin asked Rebecca to marry him while they were hiking in South Africa! Lions, tigers and engagement rings - Oh my! They picked their venue - Casa Vista - because they wanted one place for both the ceremony and reception, and they wanted it all to be outdoors. The house is minutes away from downtown Fraser and had plenty of room for them and their families to stay for the week. Additionally, many of their friends pitched tents or camped in RV’s on the property for the wedding weekend.

Rebecca + Martin rented an adventure van and drove across country to their wedding, so this place seemed absolutely perfect for them. Their wedding had a rustic, outdoorsy vibe that blended their organic and industrial styles together nicely. Martin brewed all of the craft beer for the wedding, which I thought was a huge accomplishment. They had Pavy’s Food Truck cook to order all of the guests food - which was delish and an awesome band, Spectacle Trio, for their evening dance party. Their wedding was a great celebration of love, family and friendship. And let me just say, their friends know how to have a GREAT time!!!

Katie + Darian booked me for an engagement session and wanted to bring their sweet pup - Mustafa! Well, I love when couples want to include their dogs in their portrait session, so of course, I said YES. Everyone seems to be nervous about bringing their dogs to these sessions and I am here to tell you - don’t worry about it. Dogs are exactly like children - for engagements, they usually are your children - and no matter what happens, you will cherish the memories. With a solid background in photographing families, children and babies - I am always expecting the unexpected.

Sometimes dogs won’t sit still - neither do kids. Sometimes they get distracted - SQUIRREL - so do kids. Sometimes they are hungry, want a treat, have to go to the bathroom - SO DO KIDS! And all of that stuff is what I like to call normal. Those situations or moments can also make for some of the best candid moments that you will want to remember. It brings natural laughter and offers a pleasant distraction when you are getting comfortable with a camera in your face. (unless you are used to traveling with the paparazzi.)

Hear are a few tips for having a great engagement session with your dog in order to tell a great story about your engagement.

Relax - If you are stressed, your puppy will know and it will affect how they behave. You hired a professional, so let them do their job - they are good at it!

Bring food and water - engagement sessions can last a bit, so make sure you have food, water and treats for your furry friend. If their belly is full and they are hydrated, they will cooperate more. Treats can be used to get their attention, sit down, stay and pose for the camera.

Let them play - feel free to bring a ball or toy to play with them during your session. They will play and then get tired and relax, snuggle and sit with you afterwards.

Let one person direct them - At the beginning of the session, figure out who is going to be the one directing your dog or calling their name. Too many people calling them will confuse them and they will not listen very well. If they will look at the camera when your photographer calls their name, let them do it. If your pup will listen better to one of you, then let your photographer know at the beginning.

Bring a friend - Sometimes it is better to have a friend meet you during the time you want your dog there. Most couples don’t want their animals in every photo, so establish a time and meeting point for the photos they will be in. Then you won’t be stressed about having to watch them for the rest of the time.

I moved to Colorado determined to meet someone who wore plaid and had a beard.

- Brittany

These two love each other more than I can express to you in a blog post about their wedding. Brittany is one of the sweetest humans I have ever met and she immediately welcomed me into her bridal suite with open arms. Patrick is smart, kind and madly in love with her. Together, they are simply perfect for each other. Their wedding took place at the YMCA of the Rockies, Snow Mountain Ranch with their ceremony at Columbine Point. They wanted their first look to be amongst the Aspens across from the ceremony site where there was a nice path and small fence. Their wedding day can be described in one word - FUN! And for the reception, it was only 90’s pop for their guests to dance and excitedly sing along to.

Above is one of their couples portraits from behind the small fence. They were just happy to be with each other and couldn’t stop smiling. You could literally feel the love.

Brittany’s dress was elegant with such a gorgeous rhinestone detailed belt.

The belt of her dress.

Brittany wore flip-flops so she could be comfortable and dance the night away! I liked the sparkle of her shoes and ring together. She was surrounded by a great group of family and friends while she got dressed and finished her final touches.

This was a special moment where she received something blue and something old for her dress. A simple blue bead that was her grandmother’s pinned to the back of her dress.

Some of her details for the day photographed in her cabin.

I hadn’t met Patrick, until after his first look with Brittany - and let me tell you - he was overjoyed, excited, and smiling from ear to ear once he saw her. He could not stop telling her how much he loved her and it was where I was first able to see how in love these two are.

They didn’t have a wedding party because they have so many great friends, they couldn’t choose. And after witnessing the ceremony that they put together, it completely made sense that the ceremony just be the two of them. (And their adorable pup Denali)

It rained before their ceremony, but it was okay because I brought some clear umbrellas. I actually love this bridal portrait of Brittany with the umbrella. And she was still smiling rain or shine because she just wanted to marry Patrick - the weather didn’t matter one bit.

Brittany’s mom and dad laughed and cried throughout the ceremony and the reception. Her father’s speech was great and I learned that she was raised in Alaska (so awesome), but raised by some serious “free range” parents. They lived off the grid, hunted and grew their own food, and I think he also mentioned an outhouse, but don’t quote me on that.

Patrick’s brother officiated their ceremony at Columbine Point. There is a giant cross at the ceremony site with the mountains as the backdrop. I loved the personal touch of his brother marrying them, which fit with the entire day.

They wrote their entire ceremony together and planned the whole thing. So, of course they wrote their own vows to each other. I’m not sure who was more nervously excited to confess everything they loved about the other, Brittany or Patrick. Either way, they looked into one another’s eyes and listened to every word spoken.

Patrick was absolutely elated to stand in front of their family and friends, and have Brittany as his wife, partner, and friend. He promised to take her to every Hot Spring he could find while loving her unconditionally.

They are made for each other, which I know sounds cliche, but that’s okay. I was only around them for a few hours, and I can’t imagine them not spending the rest of their lives together.

Their first kiss was like a breath of fresh air for the two of them. They just wanted to hear those words “I know pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss.”

Their first dance was to You and I by Ingrid Michaelson and it was so cute to watch Brittany sing all of the words to Patrick. When we got to the reception, the party started! Their friends are such a fun group and danced the night away to N’Sync, SpiceGirls, Naughty by Nature, and the Backstreet Boys!

Had some photography competition by their niece.

They danced all night long! Not one of their friends or family left the reception early!

You know your in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is better than your dreams.